Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-12-29

1876 4s9 207 O6O1i l0s 5l7 ~ OS4 rs LOGS OOaSf2
1870. So, 54I S2, l64 10 so 81, OIL ~ H. 1889
!sSI 16e Ool lsss 1881 l46 "a Id a:
1t will be seen that for the twenty
Tears succeeding 1860 the Repubiictn
Iote showed an uninterrupted growth.
This growth was naturally less in
1864, because of the war. than in 1868,
and was again less in 1872 than in 1863,
because, after the October elections of
the former year had insured Greeley's
overwhelming defeat. the Republicans
were under no necessity of polling n
full vote in November. But aside from
the two exceptional contests of 1864
and 1872, it is obvious that the Repub-
lican vote in these five States was in
creasing at the rate of more than 100,.
900 every four years, the growth from
1872 to 1876 being 107, 181. and from
1876 to 1880. 40. 7O7. Each State
showed a remarkable steadiness in
growth. New York increased her Re
publican vote from 1872 to 1876 by as
469. and from 1876 to 1880 by sc. 337;
Indiana, by 81, S64 in the first period
and "A. 153 in the second; Now Jersey,
by 1861 and 1908; Connecticut, by
1886 and S.037; and Massachusetts, by
l6. 591 and 1912.
Beginning with the campaign which
resulted in LiEcoln's election. down to
and including that in which Garfield
was the successful nominee, the Re-
publican party had appealed to the
country with honest candidates upon
pla torn of sound principles. The
result was steady and rapid growth
in its numbers, averaging from ten to
fifteen per cent. every four years in
States like those we have cited, where
large proportion of the voters are
not, held fast by party bonds. If the
campaign of 1894 had been made upon
the same basis as previous ones. the
Republican vote might have shown IA
marked gain in each of these States
and aggregated at least 1880. 900.
But new policy was adopted. A
tainted candidate was selected who, it
was known and conceded. would re-
pei many old voters who had supported
Lincoln. Grant. Hayes and Garfield, as
well as many young voters whose edu-
cation and environment inclined
them to support a Republican nominee
of the old type; but who. it was.
claimed. could poll Il vast number of
votes drawn from the most ignorant
and fantastic elements of the Democrat
ic party. He did draw those votes. His
friends assert, and his opponents do
not question. that he received 10000
Irish Democratic votes in New York
City and many thousands more in
Brooklyn and other large cities of this
State, not TO speak of many thousands
more in New Jersey, Connecticut.
Massachusetts and Indiana. But where
did the gain of these tens of thousands
of Democratic votes. which Garfield
had not secured. put Blaine? In New
York State Garfield had pohed Sc. S37
votes more than Hayes. and secured
q. 033 plurality; Blaine polled only
6. 457 more than Garfield, and was
beaten by LOAF plurality. In Indiana
Garfield had polled "a, 1873 votes more
than Hayes. and secured 6. 642 plurality.
Blaine pollcd only 6,299 more than
Garfield. and was beaten by 6.527
plurality. In New Jersey Garfield
had pohed 17,03S votes more than
Hayes, anu reduced the Democratic
plurality to only 2,O10; Blaine polled
only 2.S11 more than Garfield. and
allowed the Dem ocratic plurality TO
rise to 4.412. In Connecticut Garfield
had polled 8,037 votes more than
Hayes. and secured 1855 plurality;
Blaine reduced the Republican vote
from 67.O71 to 65, 923. and was beaten
by 1916 plurality. In Massachusetts
Garfield had polled ZAP votes more
than Hayes, and secured j3. 245 plural
ity, with a clear majority over all of
AZ. 1913; Blaine reduced the Republican
vote from 165. 205 to LAG, 724, and had
only 24.372 plurality. while he fell
1894 short of any majority at all
Thus in three of the FIVE States Blaine
had gained only trifie over Garfield.
and in the other two had actually lost,
SO that the aggregate Republican vote
in them. which normal growth should
have carried up to at least 1,250, 900
in 1884. was only 1.136. Az. against l.
40. $50 in 1880. Such figures rs these
draw their own moral i. Eceatng
Post.
What is to be said of the present
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